Safety device for submarines



Oct. 7, 1930. w. c. GORDON y SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBIMRINES Fired may 16. 192e 3 Shoots-Sheet 1 Tull .10ct. 1, 1930. w. c. GQRD'ON 1,717,693

SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBIIARINES Filed May 1;, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,F

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w. c GoRDoN SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBMARINES ipa. 7, 1930.

med May is, 192e s sheets-sheet s l gwuenk'w UNITED PATENT" oFFICa -VcPatented Octi?, `1930 V1 l y y @i y i `This invention relates to limprovements in c showngthe safety' craftjust after thesanie y safety apparatus for submarines. f has been freleasedfromithe submarine deckiv'tf 1 Vlhe primarytobject of thisinventionis the "Figure V3" is an enlarged 'i seictionalwview" `provision of safety craft for submersibles, taken through thfe"`hatch"connctionofthe" veomprising a boat of stream-like design, nov-V safety'craft lwith the submarine, this viewlaz.

ellypositoned `in aninverted relation upon being takensubstantiallyfonthe'line 3-rf3 "offg i thedeck of'asubmarinewith novelhatch con- Figure 4: y l "z t nection -therewith by: `means of which the Figure 4' is an inside plan fvieW of the hatch?? `crew` of thesubmarine` may 4pass therefrom construction "of the safety craftruf y l0 into 'the safetycraft and' with facility closeL 4Figiire isa Sectional view taken substan' Gov both lthe submarine andthesfafety craft AVtiallyyofthewline' of Figure 4. i' Y against admission 'of water,"` and expediyFigure' `isra transverse) sectional lvievv a tiously release the safety craft fromrthe subtaken through the improved safety braft'at y inarihegthe saine being ofy such nature that its hatch-connection with the `submarine,"andi 15 Lit Win-Tight itself @it sleztsed' and buoyed Showingianme'g'ency Closureto beused for o5 upwardlyg" f i closing `oif'the compartment ofthe safety*` A further objectof this inventons the craft from fthe submarine in event of damage provision of a novel hatch connection'be-Vtothesafety craft. 1a.

tween submarines ,and their safety craft. Y i Y Figure 'is'a Ifragmentary sectional View` i 20` A further object of this invention'is `the showing related `detailsoft'he hatch bf thev'il` provision of anovel` safety cra'ft construc-limproved constru`ctio1`1".`1.` v x l tion for submarines-` w `FigureSis-asectional'vievv showing apres-j Afurther object of4 this invention :is thesure gauge connection as usedwith thehatclr provisionofimproved `quick release appa-ra?`waylf`thefsafety craft. i y ttus for the` safety connection of life saving `Figure') isia view of acat'chdetail used to j'dfv craft-to submarines.` hold the lockingflever'ofthe releasemecha- A further objectl of this invention is the 4nisni inplace. 1 provision of improved testing equipment` Figure l0 is a, perspective `view of the"v i adapted tobe used in connection withsafety` ernergency'clo'sure f' 7 3u craft forsubma'rines, by means of which the 'Figure `l1 is a' perspective view ofcertainso crew within the safety craft may test Vthe detent mechanism used in connection with the"` efficiency'` of the` connection between the i safety craft? for holding `the hatchthereoff safety craft and submarine prior to release clamped to the hatch of the submarina il of the safety craft, and by means of `which"` FigurelQ `is'a sectionalv view,"showing the 3J the crew Within the safety'craftafter its re` link connection betweenithe lever oftherey A leaseifroni the; submarine may Yascertain the lease `mechanism 'withinthe'craft and theV Y depth of the safetycraft or its position upon detent mechanism externally 'of the craft;V thesurface ofthe water. f 1 y i f Intthe .drawings5 wherein for the purpose Other objects and advantages of `this in? of'illustrationvis shown only a preferred ern-j y vent-ion will beapparent during the course bodimentofth'e invention,` the letterrA'y may Wil of thefollowing detailed description. i t general-ly vdesi'g'fnatethe improved safetlylboat In the accompanying drawings, forming orfcraft,pwhicih is ofanovel construction, andrfr apart of this speciiication,and wherein simi'- Vconnected to a 'submarine' Bby means of a" i lar reference characters designate correno'vel hatch construction C which includes y 45 spondinglparts throughout the severalviews. complementary hatches uponthe submarine! 95 Figure l `is a fragmentaryview7 partly in= andthe lifeboat'.` Releasable 'lockingmeans section, showing theimproved safety craft `E is used to retain the craft A in place upon mounted upon the upper deck of a submarine, the submarine B, u .y i just prior to releasetherefrom. A The submarine includes the deck 15,-hjav- Figure `2 salvew similar tofFgure 1,;but-` 'ing an opening 17 thereinnto which the sub# marine hatch 18 of the construction C ts. While it is preferred to place the craft A upon the deck of the submarine, it is obvious that such craft may be located any place upon the submarine found to be most practical.

Referring at this time to the hatch 18, the same preferably comprises a substantially rectangular shaped body 20, having an attaching iange 22 thereon externally thereabout between the marginal edges of the body 20, subdividing the hatch '18 into a. portion 23 which lits through the opening 17 and depends into the submarine compartment, and an upper portion 24 which extends externally of the submarine and cooperates with the hatch 26 forming part of the construction C, and attached to the craft A, as shown in Figures 1 and'V 2. `The flange 22 is attached permanently by means of rivets 27, to the deck 15 'of the submarine, in an anti-leak relation. A peripheral shelf 28 is provided within the hatch-way 29 in about the plane of thesubmarine'deck,'forming a support for the hatch closure 31. This shelf 28 is grooved on the upper surface thereof for receiving packing 33 upon which the closure'31 rests. Thisclosure may be efficiently clamped in va sealed relation in the hatch-way by means of screws34 swivel connected at 35 upon the outer surface of the closure 31, andeach screw thereon having a threaded engagement with an elongated clamping nut l36.5between the ends of the nut; the nuts 36 at the ends thereof being adapted to detachably fit into the recessed lower surfaces of lugs 37 welded or cast integral at opposite sides within the hatch way 29, as shown inthe various views of'thedrawings. It is quite apparent that rotating the screw wheels 40 will cause the nutsT 36 to feed therealong forfengaging at their ends beneath the opposite lugs 37, to move toward or retract the closure 31 with respect to the shelf 28, to operate as a hatch closure in a manner which isperfectly appar ent'from the drawings. It is to be noted that the wheel 4:0 and all of the clamping details for the hatch closure 31 are located below the plane of the outer edge of the hatch frame 20e `The outer portion 24 of the hatch frame 20 is provided with an outwardly extending peripheral iange 43, which has screw threaded.

socketsglll therein,lbest shown in Figure 3 of.

the drawings, adapted to receive clamping bolts 45,' to be subsequently described, as a means of connecting the hatch portion 26 of the craft A against the hatch 18 of the sub.v marineI B. On the louter e'dge of the flange: 43is1 provided a V'shapedlcontinuous'tongue 47,'adapted tof'fit into a V-shaped recess 48 providedlin the lower edge of the hatch 36 in a relationto--be subsequently described, to prevent relative movement of the submarine and safety craft hatches along their plane of connection.` i l l I tisto beunderstood thatthe, hatch cle- 'handle 51 at one end and tapering with a diminishing Athickness from that end to the opposite end edge 52. The depending portion 23of the hatch frame 20-is `provided with a slot 54 in one end thereof, thru which the auxiliary hatch closure 50 may be slipped g the internal walls and opposite wall of the depending portion 23 of the hatch frame 20 being provided with grooves 57 to receive the margins of the closure 50 in a leak-proof connection; the grooves being such that the closure 50 may be driven into a tight .wedging leak-proof connection as it finds the end of its seat in the hatch frame, and as shown in Figures -6 ofthe drawings.

Referringto the safety boat or craft A, the

' same is preferably of steel plate construction, i shaped to lessen head-on Vresistance to the travel of the submarine through the water, and formed so that the deck thereof is normally lowermostfthat is, the craft A is inverted whenr it is hatch-connected with the submarine.v

The boat A therefore consists of a plate deck 60, which is flat at its transverse center midway betweenithe ends of the boat, and therefrom slopes towards the opposite sides as shown at 61, at avery slight and acute angle from the plane of the deck 60, as shown in Figure 6. rl`he normal bottom of the safe ty boat A is preferably formed of a metal plate 63, convexly arcuated throughout the width thereof and overlapped and riveted at decrease in width towards the opposite ends 68 and 69 of said boat or craft, to offer a streamline shape, and the `bottom 63 slopes `at a sharp angle at 70 from midway of the ends of the craft towards the ends 68 and 69, where 4the deck and bottom plates meet in a blunt, but substantially chisel edge; the

space withinv the craft A thus tapering from midway of the ends ofthe craft with a decreasing depth to the ends of the boat or craft. p

The shell of the boatl A is provided with air compartments at the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, formed by placin partition plates 71 and 7 2 in the shell of the craft at opposite sides thereof, the plates 71 and .72 having flanged connections at 73 with the declr 60,'V in spaced relation with the juncturefofthe deck v viththe bottom and side plates',` 63; thepartitions 7lfand72 at their respective sdesjof the craft sloping ina con'-` verging relation `withthe yplates 63 and being connected aft'74` with theplate 63 short" of the longitudinal center ofthe craft; "This provides air @compartments 'atfeaoh side of the boat, which are widest at the'deck 61 and slope in width downwardly along the bottom t 63;"it` of lcourse being. understood that the joint formed by partition plates 7l and ,72,r

at` the connections thereofV with the plates 'of the `shell'of"thecraft are welded orotherwise rendered leak-proof. At thefwends 68 and 69 the craft Yis provided with cross partin e tions shown inlFigures 6` of the drswvings,`

" to `provide compartments in said ends ofthe i 'boatadaptedfto store s`upplies,'water, and the like; `each of the partitions 8O having a-leakal proof oonnectionwith the shell ofthe craft and'having leak-proof closure 81 therein." `Referring to the support of the craft A wat cui; A

ioflthehatch constriiction C, it, is preferred i to plOvideslipports 82 and 83," the legs 85 of t which are:suitablybracecl` together and provided *with feet flanges connected at "87 u by A "an`d"2; Attheir outer endsthe suppiorts82` provide saddles 87,9suitablylpocketed 4tol reif Ucefvethe ends o'ffthe craftlA in alresting: relation therein.l f y l f Referring t at thisytime ,to the hatch structure 26 jof the "safety boat 'asis more par:v`

ticiilarly shown in Figure 3` ofthe drawings,

andhelsewhere, the said hatch includesv a rec# tangular, shaped bodyA 9D, lprovided with an external ange"9l thereabout at an end thereof; the body 9d being adapted tov extend through an:"openin g 92fin the normal deck 60 of the boatA, at the centralportion thereof, the `=flange` 91 eXteriorlyi overlapping ,With` the deck 60 and being riveted as at 94 thereto.

il-Thiis thebody or,`fra,.me of the hatch strucgV ture 2fpr'oject`s beyondlthe'outer surface of I the deck "of the safety boat A, and .therein a hatch-wayi li,s"pro vided, adapted to i be maligned with the hatch-way 29 ofthe subma-` afeinehalr 1e, and thralwhichliaaiviauns,'

` mayc'r-wl from the" submarine to thesafety` boat'and`vice versa.V An internalfiange 98 is provid'e'dlv in the" hatch frame 90 at theV outer i Wend thereoLsuitably recessed andfprovided. dihvithfpaeking"99,:forminga seat for the, hatch closure lOOvvhicli isadapted ytobe. `:forc'zed thereagainst to seal the hatcli-vvay`98.

It is rtebewfnotedV that the hatch closure 109 e ,is yin 'a piane at' 'the einer end lef "the: hatch" "bitframe 90," andfvvithin fthe compartment 96 -is disposed tlieme'ans'which clamps the cloi sureinplace. This means'oficourse faces'the e t `compartniei1t"ofthe Vsafetyboat, and com?l prises screwsf f101'swivelly` connected at 102 tfbnto the inner 'surface ofthe closure Y100 the `uponthe'subinarine deck 15`,`at opposite sides samehaving threaded thereon the elongated nuts V104, more particularly shown in Figure t 4c of the drawings, which extend theentire` width of the compartment 96, [and i at the ends thereof are adapted to seat inthe under recessescf lugs 105, which `are formedin# tegral or in agbra'cketed relation onthe walls t t of the'` frame 90 and proj ecti'ntojthe way 96. The `screws 101 have wheelsj'10'( thereon" by;

means of vwhich `to rotate `themfand adjust the clamping of the" closure 100 against the packing 99 to shutoff theway 96, andfkeX- clude waterfrom'the safetycraft, in a man! f y ner which ishperfectly` apparent from description,

The boltsit, used to clamp the hatchcon-- i struction26 to the hatch constriiction 18,ar`e

mounted in spaced relation about` the `frame 90, being vertically movable insockets v provided through the; thick wallsof thehatch frame 90, as shownin Figure dof "the` drawj ings. vThe boltsrt have theirheadehdsflll; t

disposed in facing Vrelation Within the com-3Y partment of the safetycraft A, andtheir screw threaded ends are relatively vshort and adaptedfto .thread into l the sockets 44 of ithe*` submarine hatch frarne`2f0,` each bolt 45@ it is "preferred` to provide astuiiing donneetion- 'facing in the compartment of the y safety boat, toprovide `a seal A"against`admis`i` sion of water. As before mentioned the frame; v

of the submarine hatch is A,provided 'withj `a V-shaped tongue47 thereabout, and Athis adapted to fit into theLV-shaped groove f8 of; the framei96.` A gasket is providedbe'- tween the facing surfacesfofthe" frames the hatches 18 and 26,?to provide aleak-proof connection therebetween,`as effected In order to` limit` the: movemerlt` pf theI holte 45, and `prevent their/falling into the @mi i partment ofthe safety `lOOat` 'when it hasfV righted itself after being detached from the: submarine, it is preferred, "to `annularly ref. cess each of therbolts, L15, as `shown at 121n Figure 3 of'the drawings, and provide de- Y tentpins122` witha screw threadedcOnnecment of the bolts, asis obyiousj.

The quick release means n; whih' 10ers of fheahach frame 96.,` pivotf thereto. by

the bolts 45 have been retracted completely, e

preferably includes shafts 124 at each end 'f ."suitablei` bearing brackets `125, best shownini, 'rFigure llgof thedrawings; `the ends of the shaft 124 extendingloutwardly beyondithese i brackets 125, "and thereat being ,provided iwithdetents126, which radially extend theree Vfrom and at their lower endsare' offset `at 127 `for engagement beneath `the flange 43 `oflthehatch frame 29 of the submarine hatch ystructure 18.` These shafts 124. are each"pro- A"vided intermediate their ends" with radial lili extensions 131, the outer ends of which are bifurcated, as shown in Figure 11 of the drawings, for pivotally receiving at 133 the adjacent ends of lock rods or members 134V which extend longitudinally along the outside of the deck of the safety boat A, and at the ends thereof are adapted to seatwithm vsuitable sockets 136 provided in the safety boat supports 82 and 83, acting as keepers. The ends of these rods 134 are supported by means ofV brackets 138, provided with openings thru which said rods slidably extend; the brackets 138 being secured on the deck of the safety boat in approved manner, preferably by means of reinforcing bands 140, shown in-Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.. These brackets 138 are of course located adjacent to and between the end supports and the hatch structure C.

It is to be noted that the -detents 126 lock the hatches of the submarine and safety boat together at the same time that the retaining rods 134 are locked in the keeper openings 138. `Upon slight angular rotation of the rods or shafts 124 the detents 126 and the keeper rods 134 may be released from their engagement with the submarine parts to release the safety boat. The means for causing this release is operable from within the compartment of the safety craft and preferably includes lever arms 150 and 151, pivoted at 152 on suitable brackets 153 at opposite sides of the hatch way 96. The levers 150 and 151 at their free ends are connected by a cross rod 155. At their opposite pivoted ends the levers 150 and 151 are enlarged and provided with grooves or slots 157, eccentrically arcuated with respect to the pivot pins 152; the said slots 157 having connected therein the inner ends of connecting links 158. The

links 158 have a roller connection at 160` within Vthe slots 157 and between their ends the links 158 slidably extend through suitable stufling boxes 162, more particularly shown in Figures 6 and 12 of the drawings; the outer ends of the links 158 extending exteriorly alongside of the hatch construction C and being provided with pins 164 for disposal within the elongated slots of bell crank levers 167. The bell crank levers 167 are pivoted at 170 at opposite sides of the common connection thereof with the link 158; the said bell crank levers 167 at their opposite ends being swivelly connected at 172 with connecting rods 173 which extend exteriorly along the hatch construction C and have pivot connection atv their opposite ends with pins 174 disposed on the detents 126 eccentricto the axis of the `shaft 124, as shown in Figures 5 and 11 of the drawings.

It is to be noted that the levers 150 and 151 and their cross connection 155 form a U- shaped operating leverage and eccentric for operating the detent mechanism, which straddlesthe hatch 26 within thesafety boat compartment. To holdthe same` against accidental movement, it is preferred to provide releasable catches 1707 at each end of the hatch-way 96, the same each including a body 171 bolted to the hatch frame within the boat compartment and having a pocket therein with a pivoted detent 172, which is normally urged by a spring 173 in said pocket in one direction so as to catchv and hold the cross rod 155, depending upon which side of the hatch wayfthe cross rod 155 is positioned, whetherxfor holding the releasable lock means operative or inoperative with respect to connection of the safety boat and submarine. i

It is to be particularly noted that the parts have been designed with the idea of providing a stream-line shape to the life craft which will obviate head-on resistance to a great extent. To prevent damage to the lock rods 134 the same may be suitably housed within guard casings (not shown). which may be attached to the shell of the life craft.

A pressure gauge 180 is dctachably mounted upon the hatch frame 90, within the compartment of the craft A, the same having operating connection with aduct 181 which eX- tends through the frame 90 andopens into the space in the hatch connection C between the hatch closures` 31 and 100; these details being shown in Figure 8.

It is preferred to provide a duct 183 extending transversely through the frame 90 of the safety boat hatch, adapted to admit water from externally of the hatch construction into the space between the hatch closures 31 and 10() when the safety boat is clamped to the submarine. A suitable lift valve 185 operably supported by the frame 90 in a suitable bushing 186` is provided with a tapered valve 187 adapted to be used to close oft the duct 183 as desired. y

When it is desired to abandon the submarine. the individuals crawl through the open hatchways into the safety boat A, `and the submarine Vhatch closure is then clamped in a leak-proof connection. in place, and .thereafter the safety hatch lid 100 is clamped in place, it being noted that `the said hatch closures are of different sizes and adapted to be placed while the operatives are within the safety craft. When the hatch closures have been clamped in place, the lift valve 185 is opened to admit water in the space between the latch closures 31 and 100, and when a sufficient time has elapsed to permit the lling of this space. the valve 185 is closed and the pressure of the water in this space is noted on the pressuregauge 180. If the submarine hatch is leaking past the closure 31 the pressure gauge will record this fact, and the operatives must then open the hatch closure 100 and attempt to seal the hatch closure 31 so that no water will leak into the submarine and damage `.the parts therein. It

is of course `understood that there'may be some parts of the submarine vin which the water has not leaked, and it is of great as sistance in salvaging a submarine that as much air as possible be maintained therein to displace the water which otherwise would Offer considerable obstruction to the raising of the craft. A small stop cock 190V may be provided on the pressure valve, and this may be closed before releasing the safety boat from the submarine. a V A TheV retaining bolts 45 are now unscrewed from the submarine hatch frame 20, `and the heads of these bolts may be engaged by any suitable means to cause rotation of the bolts, such as by means of a wrench wheel or the a like. Vhen the bolts 45 have all been released, it is then merely necessary for the operator to release the catch 172 and grasping the rod 155 to throw the levers 150 and 151 by a single operation to the opposite side of the hatch-way. This simultaneously releases all of the detents26 and the retaining rodsA 134 from their connection with the submarine hatch end supports 82 and 83. The

i safet-y boat A, due to its buoyancy will then `rise away from the submarine, as shown in Figure 2, and immediately thereafter will invert and right itself and float to the surface. When it reaches thesurface this fact will be recorded upon the pressure gauge 80, and designate when it is safe to open the hatch cover 100 and permit the occupants to be freed. Y

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the in-l vention or the scope of the claims.V

I claim: y

l. In combination with a submarine having a hatch construction, a safetyboat having a hatch construction, supports on the submarine for supporting the ends of the safety boat, pivotally mounted detents for holding the safety boat in communicating leak-proof connection with tlie'submarine hatch, means operating in synchronism with the detent means to connect the boat at the ends thereof in releasable manner with the end supports,

i y and said detents.

said detents, said means to cause said release `comprising a lever pivoted within the safety boat, bell `crank levers exteriorly p'ivoted upon the safety boat, means connected with with the de-` -Tfl ying a hatch construction, a safety boathaving a hatch construction, clamping means for releasably holding the hatch constructionsin leak-proof connection directly at said hatch constructions, means operatively connected with the last mentioned means for releasably 'connecting the life boat at its ends upon,

the submarine, whereby when the Vhatch clampingmeans is operated for releasing the i hatches, the ends of the boat will also be released, and` operating means accessibly operable from within operative connection with said means .for operating the same.

WILLIAM o. GORDON.

and means loperable from'within the safety'` Y 2. `In combination with a submarineh-aving a hatch construction, a safety boat having a hatch construction, supports on the submarinefor supporting the ends of the safety boat, pivotally mounted detents for holding connection with the submarine hatch, means operating in synchronism with the detent means to connect the boat at the ends thereof in releasable manner with the end supports, @parable freni the boat .for releasing the last mentioned means and safety boat in communicating leak-proof the life boat having an clamping Y 

